


Untitled

by mneiai



Category: Harper's Island
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 07:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10916877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mneiai/pseuds/mneiai
Summary: Before and after.





	Untitled

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on LJ in 2010, trying to delete everything over there so reposting here.

Trish wasn’t sure what had pulled her from her nightmare, keeping it from playing out in its horrifying entirety, but she knew she wasn’t getting back to sleep. Sighing, she rolled over, laughing softly as the arm around her tightened and pulled her back into the hard body behind her. She twisted, leaning her chin against Danny’s chest, staring up at him, wondering at how relaxed he could be.

They’d been through so much, but had pulled through, realizing that sometimes the people they trusted weren’t who they thought they were, but that sometimes the people they needed were right there. They may have suffered, may have lost people they cared about, but they pulled through in the end.

And when they’d all kept drifting together after escaping the island and Henry’s crazed plot, it just seemed natural. The first time Danny wrapped an arm around her in support, the first time she snuggled against him for warmth as a group of them stumbled home from the bar, it all seemed so right. When, a year later, he got down on one knee and proposed, she couldn’t think of a single word except “yes.”

This time it would be alright: there was nothing holding them back, no secrets that the rawness after their survival hadn’t brought to light. She’d get to walk down the aisle to a man who honestly loved her, ignoring the playful leering from best man Sully and Chloe’s happy sobs, and change that “yes” into an “I do.” 

With the light trickling in through the window, caressing Danny’s stubble covered face, she imagined it would be that last bit of closure she needed to finally leave the nightmares behind.

***

The only reason Trish agreed to dance with the guy was because Lucy had descended into the stage of drunkenness where she lost all sense of personal space and Trish wasn’t really in the mood. 

The group of guys had been loud throughout the night, regaling her friends with various tall tales and trying to keep their attention. The blond hadn’t hidden his desire to pick Trish up, but his attitude had reminded her too much of Hunter’s, the ex that she was there to forget. When the group’s “token black guy” had pushed him aside and apologized for his behavior, then asked if she’d like to dance, Trish couldn’t resist.

His name was Danny and he was a student, too. One of their friends was stuck in all night studying for a big exam, so they’d decided to give him some peace and quiet. “And,” he’d said with a wane look directed at the others, “possibly rub it in his face.”

Trish grinned. “Well, then you have to actually do something more impressive than getting wasted and turned down by girls, right?”

“By _pretty_ girls,” he countered, moving backwards through the crowded floor, awkwardly dancing. “And I was under the impression that we were doing more than that?”

She glanced back at the table, watching the others laughing at something stupid the curly haired one had done. “I don’t think they’ll notice if we ditch and go for coffee.” He hid his relieved slump well. 

Two days later, he called the phone number she gave him and discovered it was real. From there, everything just seemed easy.


End file.
